Your nature year
Winona, Minnesotathrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Winona?
The USA-NPN spring index puts first leaf here around Apr 14 and first bloom around May 11. Winona usually sees its last spring frost around Apr 21 and its first fall frost around Oct 19, a frost-free stretch of about 181 days at the nearest NOAA station, Winona. Across Minnesota, fall color is usually well under way by mid-October. Head northwest for the closest of the 3 places we follow around Winona. Minnesota Valley Refuge, 94 miles from Winona, is the nearest wildflowers spot on this site, Jun 1–Aug 31 (local timing). Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul (97 mi) is the pick for fall foliage, usually Sep 24–Oct 7. The town is about 662 feet above sea level.
Updated Sep 28. Sources: US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer (places) ↗ (opens in a new tab), US Census Bureau, city and town population estimates, 2024 ↗ (opens in a new tab), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Best this weekend nearby
- Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul · 97 mi · Fall foliage
Usually Sep 24–Oct 7
Sat Oct 3: Mostly Sunny, 65°F · Sun Oct 4: Sunny, 61°F
No report yet
Places in their own usual window that weekend; reports are the latest official ones, forecasts from the National Weather Service.
Winona's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 21 to ~Oct 19
- First leaf ~Apr 14
- First bloom ~May 11
- Fall color under way ~Oct 11 (MN)
- Today
Near Winona right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by mid-October in MinnesotaStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~13 days
- First fall frost usually around Oct 19 · last spring frost around Apr 21NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Winona (1.7 mi, 50% dates)~3 weeks
- Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul · 97 mi · usually Sep 24–Oct 7Fall foliage · in its window now
- Wildflowers · Minnesota Valley Refuge · 94 miLocal timing: Jun 1–Aug 31~8 months
Winona's nature year
- Spring green-upApr
- Last spring frostApr
- Wildflowers · Minnesota Valley RefugeJun–Aug
- Fall color (MN)Oct
- First fall frostOct
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul · 97 miusually Sep 24–Oct 7
- Saint Croix Riverway · 107 miStatewide: usually well under way by early October~7 days
Wildflowers
- Minnesota Valley Refuge · 94 miLocal timing: Jun 1–Aug 31~8 months
Snow in Winona
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 30 (our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%). NOAA's normals at Winona Dam 5 A (2.5 mi away): 38 inches of snow in an average year, about 13.6 days with 1 inch or more.
NOAA's chance of at least 0.1 inch of snow on each date (one value per week, September to May), averaged over 1991–2020. A typical year, not a forecast.
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Apr 21
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 19
About 181 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Apr 14
First bloom around May 11
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Winona (1.7 mi from Winona), the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not. Green-up: the USA-NPN Spring Index, 1991–2020 average at the town.
Questions people ask
When is the first frost in Winona?
On average around Oct 19, and the last spring frost around Apr 21: about 181 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Winona, 1.7 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Winona?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Apr 14 and first bloom around May 11, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Winona?
Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul, 97 miles (usually Sep 24–Oct 7); Saint Croix Riverway, 107 miles (statewide: usually well under way by early October). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see wildflowers near Winona?
Minnesota Valley Refuge, 94 miles (local timing: Jun 1–Aug 31). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Winona?
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 30: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Winona Dam 5 A. An average year brings 38 inches (NOAA 1991–2020). A typical year, not a forecast.Sources: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal snowfall) ↗ (opens in a new tab), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (daily snowfall probabilities) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
How we know
US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer (places) (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · US Census Bureau, city and town population estimates, 2024 (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal) (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · USA National Phenology Network, Spring Index 1991–2020 averages (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · USA National Phenology Network, colored leaves observations (opens in a new tab) (Sep 28)